Joiner improvements

ABSTRACT

A joining arrangement having at least one engaging member ( 3, 49 ), a screw threaded shaft ( 2 ) passing through the engaging member at least one nut ( 7 ) threadably engaging the shaft, a gear member ( 9 ), a pivot locator ( 14 ) on the engaging member such that a shaft ( 10 ) with a second gear member ( 12 ) may inter engage with the pivot locater while having the said second gear member adapted to interengage with the said first gear member whereby to facilitate a tightening of the joining arrangement.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present field of the invention relates to joining arrangements.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently, there exists a number of joining arrangements or devices thatare able to be used to securely hold two or more portions in closeproximity.

There is known to be a difficulty in effecting a tightening andtherefore a clamping effect between two portions, wherein there may wellbe limited access to the joining arrangement when located within thecavities of the portions.

One of the ways that this is achieved is by use of an open endedspanner. However, this may exasperate the operator due to theintricacies of the overall operation and instillation of the appropriatejoining arrangement.

Typically such joining arrangements are utilised in the construction ofbenches and desks.

The problem with an open ended spanner is that a nut or hexagonal heador the like will conventionally lie against the surface within thecavity so that the amount of freedom by which engage and then turn thenut is restricted.

In practice then this means that a person might spend a considerabletime tightening any threadably engaging member on the shaft.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In one form, the invention can be said to reside in a joiner includingat least one engaging member, a screw threaded shaft passing through theengaging member or a channel through the engaging member, at least onenut threadably engaging the shaft, a gear member, a pivot locator on theengaging member such that a shaft with a second gear member mayinter-engage with the pivot locator while having the said second gearmember adapted to interengage with the said first gear member whereby tofacilitate a tightening of the joiner by effecting a relative rotationof the nut with respect to the shaft.

In preference, the screw threaded shaft is a bolt.

In preference, the thread on the screw threaded shaft is left hand.

In preference, the pivot locator is a cavity within the engaging member.

In preference, the cavity is in the form of a cylindrical aperture whichhas its axis aligned transversely to the elongate axis of the shaft.

In preference, the first said gear is a gear comprised of a plasticsmaterial and having means to effect an interlocking with an end of thescrew threaded shaft.

In preference and in the alternative, the first said gear is adapted tointerlock with respect to the nut.

In preference, there are two engaging members such that the screwthreaded shaft passes respectively either through an aperture in eachrespective engaging member or through one or more channels passingthrough the respective engaging members.

In preference, the first said gear member has its teeth aligned so thatthey are facing in the direction of the body of the shaft.

In preference, each of the two engaging members include on an innerface, an arcuate shape adapted to engage with a nesting fit, a similarlyshaped side wall of a cavity within a bench or desk portion.

In preference, and in the alternative, there is a tightening arrangementfor a bolt with at least one tightening end, at least one engagingmember through which the bolt passes, the arrangement beingcharacterised in that there is a gear means as a part of or attached toeither a nut engaged by a head of the bolt such that rotation of thegear means will result in the nut effecting a tightening with respect tothe bolt, and a pivot locator positioned adjacent the first said gearmeans and aligned to support a shaft end supporting a pinion gearwhereby upon rotation of the pinion gear, this will effect a rotation ofthe gear means and thus effect said tightening effect.

In a further form of this invention, it can be said to reside in themethod of effecting a tightening of a joiner which includes the steps oflocating within cavities adjacent each side of an adjoining an abuttingface, a respective engaging member which has passing therethrough ashaft which is screw threaded and whereby there is a gear means as apart of or attached to either the nut or a head of the bolt andeffecting a rotation of the gear means so as to effect a tightening ofthe bolt by means of a shaft supporting at its end a pinion gear with aprojecting finger locating within a pivot locator positioned adjacentthe first said gear means and being within the respective engagingmember.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, there is a joiner assubstantially described above, which further includes engaging membershaving recesses shaped to allow a nesting fit of the second gear memberto assist in the locating of the second gear member in close proximityrelative to the first gear member.

In preference, the engaging members also have a recess shaped to nest aportion of the first gear member so as to allow the first gear member torotate freely without the engaging member obstructing the gear teeth.

In preference, the engaging members have a recess shaped to ensure anesting fit with the threadably engaging nut so as to obstruct therotation of the nut relative to the engaging member.

In preference the first gear member is made of metal.

In preference, the engaging members are made of a compositeplastic/glass material.

In preference, the joiner arrangement has support members thatpositively engage the screw threaded shaft such that the engaging memberis held against either the first gear member or the threadably engagingnut so as to obstruct the engaging object from sliding feely along thescrew threaded shaft during positioning of the joining arrangement.

In preference, the support members are clips.

In preference, the support members are constructed from plastic.

In preference, the second gear member can be positioned in the engagingmember of the joining arrangement to form a stable platform so that thejoining arrangement can be located within the required cavities andtightened in a single operation.

In preference the joining arrangement is used in edge-to-edge joining ofparticleboard type components.

In preference, the engaging members are arcuate shaped to nest within acavity within a particle board to be joined to another

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembly incorporating the inventionaccording to the first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective of the same assembly as in FIG. 1 with thejoining arrangement being positioned within adjacent portions of a benchtop and without the second gear member being in position;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the joiner of the first embodimentas shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the respective gear parts showing howthese interrelate but with the engaging member removed.

FIG. 5 shows a plan view of a further embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5.1 shows the arrangement of the head of the screw threaded shaftnested inside the first gear member of the joiner of FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of an engaging member shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of an engaging member as shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 shows a cross sectional view of an engaging member, as shown inFIG. 5, as well as the first and second gear members and theirrespective orientation.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Referring in detail to the drawings, there is a joining arrangement 1which includes a screw threaded shaft 2 which in this case is a bolt, afirst engaging member 3 and a second engaging member 4.

The engaging members 3 and 4 each have passing therethrough a bore whichis shown at 5 and 6 by which the shaft 2 passes fully through these andis thereby engaged at one end by a nut 7 and at the other in conjunctionwith a head 8 a gear member 9.

There is a shaft 10 which has at its lower end 11, a pinion gear 12 andat its furthermost end a finger 13.

There is a locating aperture 14 in the engaging member 3.

This aperture 14 is in the form of a cylindrical bore and the bore hasfirst of all an axis which is transverse to the elongate axis 15 of theshaft 2 and is also arranged so that its own axis will intersect theaxis 15 of the shaft 2.

This then allows the arrangement to be such that the shaft 10 with itslowermost finger 13 to be located so that the pinion 12 will engage witha meshing fit so that rotation of the shaft 10 about its own elongateaxis has maintained and guided by its relationship with the aperture 14,will ensure that the intermeshing gear 9 will also be rotated about itsown axis which coincides with the axis of the shaft 2 at 15.

It will be seen then that the gear 9 is formed as a different materialsuch as a plastics material which is then molded onto the head 8 of theshaft 2 and in the event that this is of a type known as a coach bolt,then it will ensure that rotation about the axis 15 of the gear member 9will ensure rotation of the shaft 2.

The nut 7 will be reason of the threadable engagement with the shaft 2thus be caused to be tightened and feed along in the appropriatedirection of the shaft to effect either a tightening or a looseningeffect dependent upon the rotation direction of the shaft 10 about itsaxis.

By having the engaging members 3 and 4 positioned within cavities 17 and18 which are shown specifically in FIG. 2 which are typically the typeof cavities that are cut into the underneath side of a bench top or desktop or something similar, means that whereas hitherto access forinstance by an open ended spanner to the nut 7 would be very restrictedand allow for only incremental rotation of the nut, now it is possibleto simply quickly engage a generally available shaft 10 with pinion 12the bore 14 and within a couple of seconds fully tighten thisarrangement.

This then ensures that the matching adjoining edges at 20 will be heldmost tightly and further whoever is in fact effecting the tightening,can be sure that a minimal time will be necessary to effect suchtightening and thus saving money.

The use of a pivot locator being the aperture 14 within the recessedsurface of the engaging member 3 provides at minimal expense a pivotlocator.

Some advantages therefore achieved using this arrangement which can beidentified also by reason of the direction of the teeth 16 being pointedtoward a remainder of the shaft and the tightening nut.

The method of use of the arrangement then incorporates locating theassembly as shown within the cavities and including of course thechannels 21 and 22 and then with the shaft 10 being held perhaps in thechaff of a drill, effecting a rapid rotation which may take only severalseconds to effect a full tightening.

While the description illustrates one arrangement of the location of thenut on a shaft, it will be seen that there are a few alternatives thatwould also be applicable.

While the pivot locator 14 has been described as an aperture, it is alsopossible to provide this as a spigot and to have an aperture within theend of the shaft 10 thereby acting as a locator.

Further, the gear 9 while being shown as a separately constructed memberwhich in this case is formed from injection molded plastics material,can be made from metals or it can be formed as an integral part of abolt.

While it has been described as being connected to the head of a bolt, itis clear that it also could be connected directly to a nut which then bybeing rotated could effect a tightening of the shaft.

Referring now to FIGS. 5–8, in another embodiment of the invention,there is a joining arrangement 30 which includes a screw threaded shaft32 which in this case is a bolt, a first engaging member, a firstengaging member 34 and a second engaging member 36.

There is a shaft 44, with a lower end 46 having a second gear 48 and aprojection 50. Shaft 44 has a hexagonally shaped portion 52 so as tonest within a standard drill chuck or hexagonal head adapter therefore.

The engaging members 34 and 36 each have a aperture passing therethrough in which the screw threaded shaft 32 passes fully through theseand is thereby engaged at one end by a nut 38 and a first gear member40, with gear teeth 41.

The engaging members 34 and 36 each have a locating aperture 42, whichis in the form of a cylindrical bore and the axis of this bore istransverse to the elongate axis of the screw threaded shaft 32.

This then allows for the arrangement to be such that a the shaft 44 withits projection 50 can seat into aperture 42 with a nesting fit, suchthat the second gear 48 will engaging with a meshing fit to the firstgear 40 so that the rotation of the shat 44 about its own elongate axisis maintained by its nesting relationship with aperture 42, will ensurethat the intermeshing of gears 40 will also be rotated about its ownaxis which coincides with the axis of the screw threaded shaft 32. Inthis embodiment, the gear 40 is made from a metal or metal alloy, butmay also be constructed from plastics, and has a recess 43 adapted toensure a nesting fit with the head 45 of the screw threaded shaft 32.Therefore, as the nut 38 is threadably engaged with the screw threadedshaft 32 it will caused to be tightened and feed along in theappropriate direction of the screw threaded shaft so as to effect eithera tightening or a loosening effect dependant upon the rotation directionof the shaft 44 about it s axis.

The engaging members also have a recess 60 shaped such that edge 62matches the profile of gear 48 so to accommodate the second gear 48 ofshaft 44 in a nesting arrangement and thus compliments the projection 50nesting within aperture 42 hence facilitating the placement of thesecond gear member 48 relative to the first gear member 40 to helpensure effective intermeshing of 48 and 41.

This also allows the joining arrangement 1 to sit securely on the secondgear member 44 to provide a stable platform so that the joiningarrangement can be placed in a cavity and tightened in single motionwhen the second gear member 44 is fitted to a power drill or similar.

To ensure a smooth rotation of the first gear 40, the first gear 40 withteeth 41 has a projection 64 shaped to provide clear nesting rotation inthe recess 66 of engaging member 34.

Engaging member 36 has recess 68 that is shaped to accept in a nestingfit the threadably engageable nut 38 so as to obstruct the free rotationof nut 38 relative to the engaging member. This then facilitates theoperation of the joining arrangement 30 when it is placed in thecavities of the portions to be joined.

Another feature to facilitate the operation of the joining arrangementis the use of support members 74 and 76, which can be clips, thatpositively engage the screw threaded shaft 32 so as to restrain themovement of the engaging members 34 and 36 so to hold them in closerelationship with gear member 40 and nut 38 respectively. This thenallows the joining member to be placed in the cavities of the portionsto be joined with out the need to substantially hold the engagingmembers in a position that allows them to be used effectively.

1. A joiner including: at least one engaging member, a screw threadedshaft passing through at least one of the engaging member and a channelthrough the engaging member, at least one nut threadably engaging theshaft, a first gear member, and a pivot locator on the engaging membersuch that a shaft with a second gear member may inter-engage with thepivot locator while having said second gear member adapted tointer-engage with the said first gear member to facilitate a tighteningof the joiner by effecting a relative rotation of the nut with respectto the shaft, wherein said first gear member has its teeth alignedfacing in the direction of the body of the shaft.
 2. The joiner of claim1, wherein said screw threaded shaft has a left hand thread.
 3. Thejoiner of claim 1, wherein the pivot locator is a hole within theengaging member.
 4. The joiner of claim 2, wherein said hole is acylindrical aperture that has its axis aligned transversely to theelongate axis of said screw threaded shaft.
 5. The joiner of claim 1,wherein the pivot locator is a projection shaped to nest within a holewithin said second gear member.
 6. The joining member of claim 2,wherein said engaging member has a recess that accommodates said secondgear in a nesting arrangement.
 7. The joining member of claim 1, whereinsaid engaging member has a recess shaped to nest said threadablyengagable nut.
 8. The joining member of claim 1, wherein said first gearis adapted to engage with said screw threaded shaft.
 9. The joiner ofclaim 1, wherein there are two engaging members such that the screwthreaded shaft passes respectively either through an aperture in eachrespective engaging member or through one or more channels passingthrough the respective engaging members.
 10. The joiner of claim 1,wherein each of the two engaging members have an inner face, an arcuateshape adapted to engage with a nesting fit, a similarly shaped sidewallor cavity within a portion to be joined.
 11. The joiner of claim 10,wherein said portion is a desk portion or bench portion.
 12. The joinerof claim 9, wherein said engaging members are positively held againstsaid first gear member and said nut with the aid of a support member.13. The support member of claim 11, wherein said support member isshaped to positively engage said screw threaded shaft.
 14. The supportmember of claim 12, wherein said support member has an inner ridge thatengages said screw threaded shaft.
 15. The support member of claim 9,wherein said support member is a clip having an inner ridge tat engagessaid screw threaded shaft.